PandaDoc vs. DocuSign: Which Tool Wins for Sales Documents?

DocuSign is a solid choice for teams that just need signatures, especially in legal or compliance-heavy environments. PandaDoc offers more built-in features at a lower price, making it appealing for teams managing contracts and internal workflows. But if your focus is on sales documents, proposals, and closing deals faster, Proposify stands out.

Looking for a Tool That Can Handle More Than Just Signatures?

Both PandaDoc and DocuSign will get the job done when it comes to sending documents and collecting e-signatures. However, depending on your team’s goals, whether it's speeding up deals, improving workflows, or elevating how your brand shows up, you may find one tool much more worth the investment than the other.

Before you commit to a sales document solution, let’s break down how PandaDoc and DocuSign compare and explore whether there’s a better fit for your sales documents altogether.

Why Listen to Us?

We’ve helped thousands of sales teams build, send, and close winning proposals. From fast-growing startups to large enterprises, we’ve seen what works and what slows deals down.

Here’s what one of those teams had to say:

Our team understands the real-world differences between PandaDoc and DocuSign because we’ve studied them, competed with them, and built an alternative that solves the gaps they leave behind.

If you’re comparing tools with closing in mind, this guide will help you make the right call.

PandaDoc vs. Docusign: Key Differences

PandaDoc Supports Reusable Content Blocks, While Docusign Relies on Static Templates and Clauses

PandaDoc is designed for flexible document creation. Its content library lets you build and reuse polished blocks without starting from scratch. You can easily drag them into any proposal, which helps your team stay consistent and move faster.

DocuSign includes a Template Library and Clause Library, but they work more like static tools. Templates require manual adjustments, and the Clause Library focuses on text reuse rather than rich, customizable content. If your team relies on reusing branded assets across many documents, PandaDoc makes the process smoother and more scalable.

Docusign is Great for Signatures, But Less Flexible for Complex Workflows

DocuSign is best for straightforward signature collection. It provides a familiar signing experience and supports preset approval workflows through Maestro, plus easy drag-and-drop fields. This works well when you need to send a contract, get it signed, and move on, especially for legal or HR use cases.

PandaDoc, on the other hand, is built for repeatable workflows. You can create reusable templates, set automatic reminders, use variables and a content library, trigger CRM updates, and build multi-step approvals. This suits sales teams that want to reduce manual steps and keep deals moving.

PandaDoc Is More Affordable, Especially For Feature-Hungry Teams

Many users say they switched from DocuSign to PandaDoc because of pricing. This isn’t surprising. DocuSign uses a per-document pricing model with envelope limits. That means if you hit your cap, you may be forced to upgrade or pause important workflows, even during a deal-critical moment.

PandaDoc, on the other hand, offers more flexible pricing without envelope restrictions. It also includes valuable features like templates, payment collection, and detailed document tracking, which often come at an additional cost with DocuSign.

Pandadoc Offers Sales-Focused Engagement Insights, While Docusign Prioritizes Audit Trails

PandaDoc lets you see exactly when a recipient opens your document, how long they spend on each section, and when they complete it. This helps your team time follow-ups, spot buyer interest, and close deals faster.

DocuSign also tracks activity and provides a secure Certificate of Completion. But its insights are more compliance-driven, focused on logging actions and maintaining audit trails. For sales teams that want to use engagement data to drive conversations forward, PandaDoc offers more visibility where it matters.

Pandadoc Simplifies Proposals, While Docusign is More Rigid

PandaDoc is built with sales in mind. Its drag-and-drop editor, reusable content blocks, and media-friendly templates make it easy to create interactive proposals that actually sell. You can embed videos, pull from your content library, and customize layouts without needing a designer. It’s built to help teams move fast and look good doing it.

DocuSign, on the other hand, takes a more traditional approach. While it offers templates and standard formatting options, the experience is more static and geared toward legal compliance than visual storytelling. That’s fine for contracts, but less ideal for crafting compelling sales documents that reflect your brand.

What is PandaDoc?

PandaDoc is an all-in-one document automation platform designed to simplify how businesses create, manage, and e-sign proposals, contracts, quotes, and more. It’s built with sales and customer-facing teams in mind, streamlining workflows from the first draft to the final signature. With tools for collaboration, real-time tracking, and payment collection, PandaDoc turns documents into part of your revenue engine.

Key Features

• Drag-and-drop document builder
• Reusable templates and content blocks
• Real-time analytics and open tracking
• Integrated e-signatures (legally compliant)
• CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho, etc.)
• In-document payment collection (Stripe, PayPal, ACH)
• Approval workflows and document automation
• Content library for brand consistency
• Rich media support (images, video embeds, pricing tables)

Pricing

PandaDoc has multiple pricing tiers to suit different team sizes and use cases. Its plans are relatively affordable compared to DocuSign, especially for teams that need advanced features like templates, payment collection, or document analytics. Pricing is user-based rather than usage-limited.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Built for sales teams
  More affordable for feature-rich needs
  Strong CRM and payment integrations
  Intuitive editor with rich content options
  Real-time document tracking and analytics

Cons

• Some features locked behind higher tiers
• Document customization has a learning curve
• Less familiar to external signers than DocuSign

What Is DocuSign?

DocuSign is one of the most well-known electronic signature solutions, often considered the industry standard. It focuses heavily on secure and legally binding signature workflows, serving legal, HR, finance, and compliance-heavy industries. While it excels at signature collection and audit-ready documentation, it offers less flexibility in terms of document design and sales enablement features.

Key Features

• Legally binding e-signatures
• Preset approval workflows (via DocuSign Maestro)
• Drag-and-drop signature fields
• Audit trails and Certificates of Completion
• Compliance support (HIPAA, eIDAS, etc.)
• Integrations with ERPs and document management systems
• Templates and reusable documents
• Signing group support
• Admin and permission controls

Pricing

DocuSign uses an envelope-based pricing model. You pay based on how many documents (or “envelopes”) you send, which can be limiting if you hit usage caps during critical deal cycles. More advanced features, like bulk sending, workflow automation, or advanced integrations, are available only on higher-tier plans or add-ons.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Trusted and widely used platform
• Excellent legal and compliance capabilities
• Easy for external recipients to understand and use
• Strong audit and admin controls
• Reliable for basic, one-off signing needs

Cons

• Expensive for small teams or nonprofits
• Envelope limits can be restrictive
• Fewer built-in features for sales use cases
• Limited design or proposal formatting tools

Best Alternative to PandaDoc & Docusign: Proposify

If DocuSign feels too limited and PandaDoc too bloated, Proposify offers a purpose-built alternative designed specifically for sales proposals. It’s not trying to replace your contract platform or reinvent your CRM; it focuses on helping sales teams build, send, and close polished proposals that convert.

Unlike general-purpose e-signature tools, Proposify gives your team everything they need to create winning documents without relying on extra tools like Figma, Canva, or third-party analytics platforms. From branded templates and content libraries to CRM-driven workflows and actionable insights, Proposify is built to support your sales motion.

Key Features

Purpose-Built for Sales Proposals

Proposify is designed specifically for proposals that need to sell. Teams use it to build persuasive documents that move deals forward.

Design Flexibility Without the Overhead

With drag-and-drop content blocks, reusable templates, and full brand controls, Proposify helps your team create standout proposals. You don't need to rely on Canva, Figma, or your design team to make documents look great.

True CRM Integration

Proposify connects deeply with tools like Salesforce and HubSpot. You can auto-fill data, trigger pipeline updates, and align your proposals with your actual sales process. No copy-pasting or jumping between tools.

Insights That Help You Close

Know who opened your document, how long they viewed each section, and when to follow up. Proposify gives you the kind of visibility that helps reps act fast and close deals while interest is high.

Support That Actually Supports

Proposify’s support team is known for being fast, human, and helpful. From onboarding to troubleshooting, you get real answers without the wait or frustration.

Easy for Teams to Use

The platform is intuitive and clean. Reps can build and send proposals without training, managers get full visibility, and everyone stays productive without getting bogged down.

Pricing

Proposify keeps pricing simple and transparent. The Basic plan starts at $29 per user per month, giving smaller teams access to templates, e-signatures, and document tracking. The Team plan is $49 per user per month, and includes everything from the Basic plan plus content libraries, analytics, integrations, and custom fields.

For larger teams, the Business plan offers custom pricing with advanced features like Salesforce integration, team permissions, custom workflows, and user roles. Every plan comes with a free trial, and unlike some competitors, there are no envelope limits or surprise charges for analytics or payment features.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Built specifically for sales proposals
• Strong CRM integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and more
• Real-time engagement tracking and follow-up insights
• Intuitive interface that’s easy for reps to use
• Extensive content library and reusable blocks
• Reliable customer support that responds quickly
• No envelope restrictions or usage caps

Cons

• Not designed for legal or contract-heavy workflows
• Fewer options for complex approvals compared to tools like DocuSign

PandaDoc  vs. Docusign vs. Proposify: Feature Comparison

Why Do People Choose Proposify?

Turns Proposals Into a Competitive Advantage

Instead of relying on static PDFs or generic e-sign tools, Proposify helps you pitch better. You can embed video, show pricing dynamically, and personalize every section, creating a pitch deck that sells while you sleep.

It Fits Into Your Sales Process, Not The Other Way Around

Whether you use HubSpot, Salesforce, or spreadsheets, Proposify integrates cleanly with your workflow. It pulls in deal data, pushes updates to your CRM, and keeps your team aligned at every stage of the pipeline.

Built to Scale Without Complexity

Proposify works just as well for five-person sales teams as it does for enterprise orgs. You can start small and grow into advanced permissions, reporting, and team-wide control without hitting frustrating limits or needing custom add-ons.

It Gives Sales Teams the Edge Where it Matters Most

Proposify isn’t just a tool for sending documents. It’s a strategic layer that helps teams stay on top of every deal. You know who’s engaging with your proposals, where they’re getting stuck, and what to do next.

Choose the Tool That Moves Deals Forward

PandaDoc and DocuSign are great for collecting signatures and digitizing paperwork. But if your team is focused on closing high-value deals, managing proposals at scale, and standing out with every send, Proposify is the better choice.

Want to see the difference? Book a quick demo today.